Nerves and Peanut Butter
by SilentStormSociety
Summary: Peebee asks Suvi to be her date for movie night. She's an awkward mess but Suvi quickly calms her nerves...


Peebee set her Sirta-disruptor tool aside after putting the final touches on her new remnant scanning invention. She wiped her forehead and stretched her arms over her head as she silently congratulated herself on a job well done.

Looking around the small alcove she used as a workspace outside her escape pod bedroom, Peebee stared at _Zap_ , her remnant bot and only friend aboard the Tempest. She sighed as she leaned against the worktable still holding her newest creation.

She wished she had someone to share the accomplishment with, someone to at least _notice_ what she'd done. Surely, the Pathfinder would at least offer her congratulatory support, but the group's leader was too busy at the moment making Voeld livable for thousands of frozen aliens.

Suvi floated to her mind's eye as she thought of their previous and rather flirtatious encounters. Apart from Zap, Suvi would be the next closest thing she had to a friend. The gorgeous redhead with sun-kissed flesh and eyes as blue as her own skin was incredibly sweet toward the asari and had a scientific mind to boot.

They had hit things off immediately with their love of science. Attraction aside, Peebee quickly found herself infatuated with the lively scientist. She found herself daydreaming about licking rocks with the woman on the coasts of Havaral.

She'd offer to lick them first so the scientist wouldn't contract yet another throat infection. Peebee's fists clenched as she remembered how the Pathfinder had laughed and teased the redhead. It was an honest mistake. Suvi had just forgotten the toxicity of the planet's atmosphere and gotten lost in the moment. As a fellow scientist, Peebee could fully relate to getting lost in the love of the work.

The asari looked down as her omni-tool suddenly began to beep and vibrate against her arm. With a quick flutter of fingers, she opened the view screen on the device to find it was just the alarm she had set a few days ago. Movie night was in a few hours.

Her heart began to race as she considered a moment asking Suvi to be her date. Would the science officer accept? Was she as interested in Peebee as the asari was in her? There had definitely been a few interactions that made Peebee question the redhead's affections.

But being the no-strings-attached woman she was, the asari had always avoided furthering the relationship. It was almost like she could _sense_ Suvi being the commitment type. What scared Peebee more was that she found herself wanting the same.

Some of those rock-licking daydreams had quickly gotten carried away with thoughts and fantasies far beyond sex. She saw herself exploring the very nature of planets with the scientist hand in hand. Taking meals together, talking about their lives and secrets they shared with no one else.

But she was getting ahead of herself. This was just one date. What was so bad about asking Suvi to movie night this one time?

Laughing at her commitment issues and silly domestic fantasies, Peebee pushed off the table and headed for the bridge. She faltered in step and smile when Suvi wasn't in her usual seat at the comm. Only Kallo was present, tapping away his usual endless string of calculations that kept the ship moving.

"Hello Peebee. Is there something I can help you with?" he asked, not tearing his gaze from the console for a second.

She wondered how he knew it was her. Did she stink or something? "How'd you know it was me, Kallo?"

"Asari footsteps. Different species have different sound and rhythm to their steps. Salarian hearing, very acute. If you're looking for Suvi, she's in the kitchen. 'Needed a break,' she said."

Peebee laughed. "Acute hearing _and_ e-s-p it would seem. I _was_ looking for Suvi. Thanks, Kallo."

"Nothing extra sensory about it. You've demonstrated a pattern over the last several weeks of speaking to my co-pilot when you're on the bridge. You've shown preference for the crewmember. I suspect romantic interest."

Peebee's eyes widening would be an understatement. In fact, they bulged so intensely they were practically on the verge of popping out of her skull. Not knowing how to respond, she did what she did best… she ran. After bolting from the room, she slid down the ladder immediately outside the door and headed straight for the kitchen.

Once the doors hissed open, Peebee smiled as she watched Suvi blow lightly on a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

The redhead smiled back when she noticed Peebee leaning in the doorway. "Peeeeebeeee," she greeted happily, drawing out the syllables. "I just made tea. Would you like a cup?"

Peebee did her best not to blush as she stepped further into the kitchen. The doors slid shut behind her automatically, and for the first time, they were alone in a room together. She swallowed hard as she willed her nerves to get lost.

"Never tried tea before. Is it any good?"

Suvi lifted a brow and held her mug out to the asari. "It's divine. Would you like a taste?"

Peebee was certain her face had turned dark purple as her mind wandered to inappropriate places. She wanted to taste all kinds of things! Namely Suvi herself. Those lips, that skin, and other things…

With a ridiculous grin and trembling hand, Peebee took the mug and sipped the hot beverage before handing it back. Luckily, Suvi didn't show any sign of noticing the asari's insecurity.

The beverage tasted of hot plant-flavored water. Not a drink Peebee would adopt for herself. She was just happy to have shared the cup with the woman she'd been so infatuated with lately.

"So, _Peebee_. Is that short for something?" Suvi asked cupping the mug once more with both hands and blowing slightly on the drink.

The asari couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to swallow each tuft of that heavenly air. How would they feel? Taste?

"Peebee?"

Peebee blinked, then slipped her mask of confidence back in place as she folded her arms and leaned back against the table behind her. "Sure is."

They were quiet for several moments before Suvi rolled her eyes and laughed, "Well? Are you going to tell me what it's short for?"

Peebee shot the redhead a sly smile. She absolutely refused to admit to anyone it was short for Pelessaria. "Peanut butter." She winked before adding, "But don't go telling everyone. Kinda a secret."

Suvi burst in a fit of uncontained giggles removing one hand from her mug to cover those soft, adorable magenta-tinted lips. "You're so funny, Peebee!"

Peebee joined in the laughter, although she was laughing more at the science officer herself. Then she realized, this was her chance. She should ask Suvi now. "So…err…Suvi girl, I was uh…wondering…" what was wrong with her!? She never had this much trouble stringing any number of words together, not ever!

The asari shuffled on her feet and rubbed the back of her neck. She was certain she looked a fool, surely the gorgeous scientist wasn't interested in a babbling idiot although Peebee knew she was anything but. Still, she couldn't shake the nerves that hindered her ability to ask the redhead a simple question.

Suddenly, a warm hand rested itself on Peebee's shoulder. Anxious emeralds locked with electric ceruleans and in an instant, Peebee felt the unfamiliar sensation of home and safety. A feeling she never wanted to end.

"It's alright Peebee," Suvi cooed. "Relax. You don't have to be nervous with me. I hope you know that. You can tell me anything. _Ask_ me anything."

Peebee closed her eyes a moment and took a deep reassuring breath as Suvi's words washed over and wrapped around her like a warm blanket. That sexy accent was so darn comforting…and disarming.

She kept losing her nerve to speak. Every time Suvi spoke, the asari resorted to a pile of hanar jelly on the inside. It was a wonder how she retained the ability to stand at all. She took another breath, drawing in Suvi's sweet flowery fragrance of space plants and disinfectant. Just what a scientist should smell like.

She had a sudden impulse to bury her face in the base of the redhead's neck; she wanted to lose herself in Suvi's heady scent and soft, sun-kissed skin. Peebee shook her head side to side in a failed attempt to clear her thoughts.

It was the warm palm squeezing her shoulder then sliding ever so gently down her left arm and grasping her hand that Peebee snapped back to reality. Suvi gazed at her thoughtfully, patiently waiting for the asari to regain her bearings.

When Peebee was still at a loss for words, and just before she was about to spin around and run away and hide out of sheer embarrassment, Suvi spoke. "For the record," she said in that husky whisper of hers. "I _love_ peanut butter."

The biggest smile to ever grace those asari lips pulled in place as she plunged forward and pressed a wanting mouth to Suvi's. The scientist must have been caught off-guard because Peebee's momentum sent the redhead crashing back into the kitchen counter, causing the pilot to drop her mug on the floor.

Luckily, the cup was aluminum. Tea pooled at their feet, but neither seemed to care as Suvi wrapped two lithe arms around the asari and reconnected their lips, kissing back with vigor.

When they finally broke apart, Peebee's confidence and courage had completely renewed, revitalized by their kiss. Finally, she asked, "Come with me to movie night? I'll bring you a whole tub of peanut butter!"

* * *

 **I'll continue this if there's moderate interest otherwise it's just a one-shot for now. Thanks for reading :)**


End file.
